The Wandering Shepherd

Today, the news announced Osama Bin Laden has been killed by US troops. He was, of course, the one who brought down the twin towers on 9-11. He deserved to die.

I am glad he is dead.

I am also a little scared.

I am not scared of the things Al Qaeda might do to us. I am scared of what they have already done to us.

I hear Christians celebrating.

What is wrong with us?  Some part of us that used to reflect the image of God has stopped.

I know it is not the politically correct thing, but I cannot celebrate death.  Anyone’s death.

Jesus died for this man.

I know.  I know.  I watched the towers.  I cried.  I shook my fist.  This man was a monster who deserved to die.

May the God of the resurrection heal His image in me.  May the justice I demand for Bin Laden remind me of the justice I fear for myself.

For about a month now I’ve been trying to figure out how to share what life has been like for our family since we found out our daughter had been raped. It continues to become easier to talk about it openly with Shepherd, but I am having a real hard time putting it into words for others to ‘hear’. 

Everytime I start, anger comes up. I want to be done being angry. The physical pain I felt comes up. I want to be done hurting. The doubts I had about my ability to be a dad resurface. I want to be done doubting. I want to be done.

I know there is healing in telling, I’ve felt that with the help of the Shepherd. So bare with me.

Maybe I’ll start small.

Almost two years ago… my then 13 year old daughter was raped.

~ S

This last Sunday was Easter. It was a good Easter celebration at the church. We had about 50% more people than normal. The most surprising and surprised person there? Me.

For those who have faithfully followed my story here, you have to be wondering, “Aren’t we done with that?” And you are right. We should be done. But this Easter was truly a resurrection story for me.

What was dead is now alive. I thought everything was over, but God raised it up again.

It was beautiful. It had the emptiness of a tomb.

Why do people think Christians are gullible?

Maybe it is because we are.

I have people from church sending me emails inviting me to come watch a “testimony” of someone who spent 23 mins in Hell and lived to tell about it.

Why don’t I believe them?  Maybe it was the book deal.  Maybe David Letterman will invite the poor (or previously poor) guy to come tell his story.

TBN will air it.

Someone will buy it.  It won’t be me.

*******Note: I didn’t know it, but this is really old news.  Here is the website…. take this, Rob Bell!

Buy stuff from the guy who went to hell.

You know, this stuff on his website is a hell of a bargain…Ok, I couldn’t resist.

…and here is the slick video…

…and here, as predicted, is the 2010 appearance on TBN…

I could never be on TBN…I don’t have big enough hair.
 

I have been sitting, looking at a blank screen for hours.  I can’t write a stinkin’ sermon.

Any suggestions to get the creative juices going?

The other night we had a family over from the church.  They are a godly, loving family who are an integral part of the church.  But, for people who have been in the church forever, grace eludes them.

Here is what I mean.

They wanted to talk about how to deal with sin in the youth group (ie a few years ago, there were a couple pregnancies among the girls in the group).  The problem, as they saw it, is that if you show grace to people, it will cause others to sin because you are somehow soft on sin.

Before you become a Christian, it is ok.  We can easily accept you.  God will forgive your sin.  But don’t you dare sin after you become a Christian–there is little grace for you.

Why do we think that the God who sent His Son to die for us while we were still sinners, but now that we know His love, He would abandon us?

I don’t get it.  I thought God really loved us.

Vernon mentioned this song by Steve Taylor.  This was one of my favorites a long time ago.  It does nail the plastic Christian post.

Steve said it better than I.

I Want to Be a Clone
Steve Taylor

I’d gone through so much other stuff
That walking down the aisle was tough
But now I know it’s not enough
I want to be a clone

I asked the Lord into my heart
They said that was the way to start
But now you’ve got to play the part
I want to be a clone

Be a clone and kiss conviction goodnight
Cloneliness is next to Godliness, right?
I’m grateful that they show the way
‘Cause I could never know the way
To serve him on my own
I want to be a clone

They told me that I’d fall away
Unless I followed what they say
Who needs the Bible anyway?
I want to be a clone

Their language it was new to me
But Christianese got through to me
Now I can speak it fluently
I want to be a clone

Be a clone and kiss conviction goodnight
Cloneliness is next to Godliness, right?
I’m grateful that they show the way
‘Cause I could never know the way
To serve him on my own
I want to be a clone

Send in the clones

Ah, I kind of wanted to tell my friends and people about it, you know?

What?
You’re still a babe
You have to grow
Give it twenty years or so
‘Cause if you want to be one of his
Got to act like one of us

Be a clone and kiss conviction goodnight
Cloneliness is next to Godliness, right?
I’m grateful that they show the way
‘Cause I could never know the way
To serve him on my own
I want to be a clone

So now I see the whole design
My church is an assembly line
The parts are there, I’m feeling fine
I want to be a clone

I’ve learned enough to stay afloat
But not so much I rock the boat
I’m glad they shoved it down my throat
I want to be a clone

Everybody must get cloned